The Italian Stallion? 2014 Fiat Punto Review

The Lowdown.

There’s a certain charm about the 2014 Fiat Punto that helps to explain its enduring popularity with all sorts of motorists. It’s not all about style though; from a purely economical point of view, the latest version of the Punto comes with a choice of reassuringly economical engines. It also offers a comfortable drive and could prove to be the ideal match for anyone looking at car lease deals on small, practical family cars.

The Look and Feel

2014 Fiat Punto

The 2014 Fiat Punto is typically mentioned in the same breath as the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo. The Punto though has a look and feel all of its own. Fiat has wisely kept alive the spirit of the 2005 Grande Punto with its clean lines and sporty feel.

One criticism of the earlier version was that the interiors felt a little too plastic. Fortunately, that’s exactly what Fiat has concentrated on with its revisions in the latest incarnation. This is particularly noticeable on the dash – which features an attractive embossed finish.

A long wheelbase means that there’s plenty of room for a car in this class. You’d be hard pushed to get three adults comfortably in the rear – but there’s more than enough space for two and ample legroom as well. The boot offers 275 litres of storage space and this can be extended to 1030 litres when the rear seats are flattened. It’s just slightly annoying that split-folding seats don’t come as standard.

Performance and Drive

At the baseline level, Fiat has made the Punto available with either a 1.2 or a 1.4-litre petrol engine. If you’re looking at car lease deals on a no-nonsense supermini and if strong performance really isn’t on your agenda, either of these versions should fit the bill.

Motorists looking for something a little more interesting will be attracted to Fiat’s twin-cylinder 0.9-litre TwinAir Petrol engine. You get a satisfying sporty sound when you rev up – as well as the ability to take you from zero to 60 in just 12.7 seconds; along with the capacity to reach a top speed of 107 mph.

Anyone who prefers diesel models when they’re looking for car leasing deals has the option of Fiat’s perfectly serviceable 1.3-litre Multijet diesel variant.

Options and Efficiency

Fiat has generously included a healthy bundle of standard features on the 2014 Fiat Punto. This includes an MP3-compatible CD stereo, daytime running lights, a height-adjustable seat for the driver, trip computer and central locking. All models get twin front and curtain airbags; although you need to opt in to ESP stability control and side airbags.

So far as optional extras are concerned, the most fun – and the most useful is probably Fiat’s infotainment system, Blue&Me. This consists of a 4.3-inch colour screen that can be mounted onto the top of the dash or else can be removed to be used as a portable navigation system. You can use this to voice activate your phone and it also gives you the ability to operate a TomTom LIVE Sat Nav system using your voice.

2014 Fiat Punto

The 2014 Fiat Punto comes in four trim specifications – Pop, Easy, GBT and Sporting. It’s necessary to move up from the baseline level to get hold of air conditioning, electric mirrors, alloy wheels and 60/40 split folding seats.

If you’re watching the purse strings when it comes to car leasing deals and want to keep running costs as low as possible, a useful starting point is the 1.3-litre Multijet diesel model. This particular variant offers you 80.7 mpg with an emissions figure of 90g/km.

On the petrol models, the clever engineering integrated into the TwinAir powerhouse means that in ‘Eco’ mode, you can expect to get 67.3 mpg on the 0.9-litre 85bhp model – considerably better than the figures for the standard 1.2 and 1.4-litre engines.

You’ll find that in all new models of the 2014 Fiat Punto, Start&Stop technology is included as standard – which means fuel consumption is kept to a minimum thanks to the fact that the engine will automatically stop turning over when you’re in a stationary position.

The Final Word…

This latest facelift to the 2014 Fiat Punto makes it a very real option for anyone interested in car leasing deals on vehicles in the small hatchback class. If you haven’t seriously considered getting hold of a Fiat before, this car may just change your mind.

If you want to get hold of the 2014 Fiat Punto, don’t hesitate to leave us a message on our contact page, or give us a call on 01903 538835 to find out more about our 2014 Fiat Punto lease deals.